Support for leg during knee surgery

ABSTRACT

A device, including a base, adapted to be adjustably and removably secured on a horizontally disposed operating table. An upwardly inclined support will support the leg bent at an angle, preferably less than 45* at the knee, with the knee elevated and both the upper and lower legs in a substantially vertical plane and free from obstruction to clear visibility, and access to the lateral sides of the knee, and also free from obstruction to lateral movement of the leg. The support is also adjustable as to height and to the angle at which the leg may be bent and supported, and to a position in which the leg is supported with the foot elevated to operating level for foot and ankle surgery.

United States Patent 1 1 3,753,557 Kelley Aug. 21, 1973 SUPPORT FOR LEGDURING KNEE 3,066,322 12/1962 Derby 5/327 R SURGERY 2,390,660 12/1945Muenzen .2 5/327 B [76] Inventor: Edward Thomas Kelley, 350 PrimaryExaminer flamld D Whitehead Parnassus Ave., San Francisco, Calif. 941 17Attorney Boyken, Mohler, Foster & Schwab [22] Filed: Sept. 3, 1971 57 AT [21] Appl. No.: 177,636 A device, including a base, adapted to beadjustably and removably secured on a horizontally disposed operatingtable. An upwardly inclined support will supg 5: 2 2 438: port the legbent at an angle, preferably less than 45 [58] Fieid 5 at the knee, withthe knee elevated and both the upper R 327 2911/4339 and lower legs in asubstantially vertical plane and free from obstruction to clearvisibility, and access to the 56] Refere c s Cit d lateral sides of theknee, and also free from obstruction n e e to lateral movement of theleg. The support is also ad- UNITED STATES PATENTS justable as to heightand to the angle at which the leg 3,007,739 11/1961 Deliam, 297/439 maybe bent and supported, and to a position in which 1,452.9l5 1923 n y-m297/439 X the leg is supported with the foot elevated to operating830,776 9/1906 Flagg 5/327 -1 for f and ankle surgery 2,581,110 1/1952Kenworthy.... 5/327 R X 3,065,992 11/1962 Nagel 297/439 3 Claims, 8Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 INVENTOR- EDWARD T KELLEYATTORNEYS H \\\\\\u a SUMMARY I-Ieretofore in knee surgery, a nurse orassistant holds the lower leg at the desired angle during the operation.Many times such operations are lengthy and the position of the kneechanges due to the fatigue of the nurse. Also the surgeon is handicappedby not being able to clearly view the site of the operation, or to adapthimself to the best position for performing the operation. Frequently ithas been necessary to repeat operations due to one of the above causes.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a legsuport that is adapted to support one leg of a person lying on the backwith upper leg, or femur, extending upwardly and the knee bent so theangle between the upper leg, and the lower leg, or tibia, will be assmall as possible in most instances, usually allowing the thigh to falltoward the abdomen. In this last position the side or the inferiordistal or lower portion at the knee (toward the foot) is accessible, andthere must be no obstruction to ready access to the knee and, the lowerleg in many instances should be supported in a manner permitting itsmanipulation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a leg support forsupporting the knee elevated and the leg bent at the knee, which suportincludes means for supporting the bent leg on an operating tableadjacent to one side or the other while the other leg is straight andsupported on the table, and which support is free from obstruction tofull access to opposite sides for the performance of surgery on theknee.

An additional object is the provision of a leg support for supportingthe upright leg of a patient lying on an operating table, with the kneebent for surgery, and which support is adjustable for legs of differentlengths, and for supporting the leg bent at different angles, and alsofor supporting the leg with the foot elevated at operating height whenankle or foot surgery is required. Other objects and advantages willappear in the description and drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the legsupport on an operating table in a position for supporting the leg of aperson on the table with the leg upright and bent at the knee for kneesurgery, said leg being indicated in broken lines, and broken lines alsoindicate an adjusted position of the support for foot or ankle surgery.The means for removably securing the device on the table are omitted forclarity.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the support of FIG. 1, the securing meansfor securing the support on a table being shown.

FIG. 3 is a greatly reduced front end view of the support of FIGS. 1, 2secured on an operating table.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view along line 4-4 of FIG.1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view at line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary part cross-sectional enlarged perspective viewof a portion of the support of FIG. 1 generally as seen from line 6-6 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged part sectional part elevational view along line 77of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view at line 8-8 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Basically, the device comprises a pair ofhorizontally disposed base members generally designated 1 (FIG. 2) thatare adated to be positioned cross-wise on an operating table.

A horizontally elongated element generally designated 2 (FIG. 1) issupported on members 2 at its ends, and extends at a right angle to saidmembers 2.

An elongated upright 3 is secured at its lower end to one end portion ofelement 2, and an elongated leg support 4 is secured at one end to theupper end of upright 3 is downwardly inclined to connect at its oppositelower end with the end of the element 2 that is opposite to the lowerend of upright 3.

The angle between the upright 3 and the support 4 may be varied, as willlater be explained, but in FIG. I it is shown as approximately 35.

The upper leg of a patient is indicated at 5 (FIG. 1) and the lower legat 6 while the body 7 of the patient is lying on the table 8 that alsosupports the device (FIG. 3).

The buttocks 9 (FIG. 1) of the patient will be substantially against thelower end of upright 3 and the angle between the upper and lower legwill be approximately that of the angle between the element 2 andupright 3. The foot 9 of the patient will rest against the inclinedsupport 4.

Cords 10 connected with the ends of the base member 1 (FIGS. 2, 3) mayextend below the table 8 and are releasably tied together to firmlysecure the device on the operating table at any point along the tablewithout injury to the latter. The base members are sturdy relativelywide strips of rigid material and extend the width of the table toprovide a stable support for the device.

Upright 3 comprises an upper strip 13 of approxi mately the same widthas the element 2 and a hinge 14 pivotally connects the upper end of thestrip 13 with the upper end of the inclined support 4.

The opposite longitudinally extending edges of upright 3 may be groovedat 15 (FIGS. 1, 5) to slidably receive the intumed flanges 16 (FIG. 5)on the sides of a channel strip 17. The lower end of channel strip 17 ispivotally connected by a hinge 18 with one end of a correspondingchannel strip 19 (FIG. 1).

Said element 2 comprises an elongated member 20 substantiallycorresponding to strip l3.- Grooves 20' formed in opposite edges ofmember 20 slidably re-. ceive the intumed flanges on the sides ofchannel strip 19.

A clamping screw generally designated 21 (F IGS. l, 4, 5) has arelatively large manually graspable head 22, and a threaded shank onsaid head extends through a slot 23 (FIG. 4) in the web of channel strip17 and into a clamping member 24 (FIG. 5) held in strip 13 forreleasably clamping strip 13 to channel strip 17 at different degrees ofvertical extension of strip 13 relative to channel strip 19.

At the end of the member 20 opposite to the channel 19 is strip 27 thatsubstantially corresponds to channel strip 19 and which channel strip 27has inturned flanges 28 (FIG. 6) slidable within grooves 20'. Saidgrooves 20' extend the full length of the member 20. The channel strip27 is hingedly connected to the lower end of the inclined support 4 by ahinge 29.

The channel strips 19, 27 are each adjustably secured to the elongatedelement 2 in the same manner, hence a detailed description of the strip27 will apply to both.

The web of each channel strip 19, 27 overlies the upper side of member20, and said web is formed with an elongated slot 30 centrally thereofextending longitudinally of strip 20. A screw generally designated 31(FIGS. 6, 7) extends through slot 30 into a cylindrical clamping piece32 having a circular flange 33 at its lower end. The piece 32 extendsinto a hollow cylindrical pivot member 34 that has a circular flange 35at its upper end. The member 33 and the piece 34 are in circular alignedopenings in one of the end portions of the base members 1,20 and theflanges on their ends are respectively positioned within counterboredends of said openings so that tightening the screw 31 extending througheach slot 30 will not only clamp the channel strips 19, 27 to the member20 in adjusted positioned of said channel strips, but will tighten theends of the base members 1 against the member 20. Flange 33 is in acounter bore in member 20.

By this adjustment, the angle between the upright 3 and the leg support4 may be varied, irrespective of the height adjustment of the upperstrip 13 of the upright provided by channel strip 17.

The heads 36 of screws 31 correspond to the head of screw 21 beingmanually tightened and loosened and extending over the marginal portionsof slots 30.

By removal of the tie cords 10, from one of the ends of the base members1, the base members may be swung about the clamping pivot 34 through 180so that the leg support may be positioned at the right or left hand sideof the operating table 8. The screws may then be tightened.

The leg support 4 is provided with a cross piece 39 that is adjacent theupper end of said support to provide a support for the portion of theleg at about the calf during lateral manipulation or movement of the legrelative to the support.

Each of the tie cords may be provided with a flanged ferrule 40 swagedonto one end (FIG. 8) for engaging the upper sides of the base membersupon tightening the cords or ropes to secure the members 1 on the table8. Obviously a single cord could extend through the openings in the endof each base member, if desired, with the ends tied below the bed in thesame manner, with a section of the rope extending across the upper sideof the table. In such instance said section would extend over thechannel strips 19, 27 or past the outwardly facing ends of the member20.

The upper end of the upper strip 13 of the upright 3 and the upper endof the inclined leg support 4 may have arcuate elements 41, 42 securedthereon, one over the other in slidable engagement to provide a roundedsurface at the inner side of the knee, both for covering the hinge l4and terminal adjacent ends of the strip 13 and support 4, and for thecomfort of the patient.

From the foregoing description it is seen that the height of the upright3 may be readily adjusted, and the angle between the upright 3 andsupport 4 may be adjusted. The leg will be firmly supported in any ofthe adjusted positions.

In some instances ankle or foot surgery as well as knee surgery may berequired, in which case an elongated prop or support 43 of the samewidth as the leg support 4-is pivotally connected at one end to theunderside of the latter by a hinge 44 positioned adjacent to the lowerend of the inclined support.

The hinge pin 45 connecting the leaves of the hinge 29 is axiallyremovable to disconnect the central portion 46 of hinge from the endportions 47, and the support 4 is swung to the elevated horizontalposition 48 indicated in dot dash lines. The end of the prop, support orpost 43 opposite to hinge 44 carries hinge section 48 that correspondsto said portion 46, and this is connected by hinge pin 45 to endportions 47.

A brace 50 horizontally connected to the prop or support 43 at 51carries a hinge section 52 at its end opposite to the hinge 51 thatincludes a removable hinge pin 53. This section 52 is connectable withhinge elements 54 on a central channel strip 55 that is adjustable onmember 20 in the same manner as the channel strip 17, having a clampingmember corresponding to member 24 (FIG. 5) and a clamping screw 56corresponding to screw 21.

' When the prop or post 43 is moved to the broken line position 57 andbrace 50 is swung to the broken line position 58 the leg support 4 inits elevated position enables the foot to be supported at the sameheight as the knee.

The hinge 14 is also shown with a removable hinge pin, so that thedevice may be disassembled and assembled for convenience and storage,and the pivots connecting the base members 1 with the horizontal element2 enable the members 1 to be swung to positions parallel with theelement 2.

I claim:

1. A device for supporting the leg of a person during surgery thereon,comprising:

a. a rigid, horizontally elongated member adapted to be supportedhorizontally on an operating table or the like,

b. securing means for releasably securing said member horizontally onsaid table stationary relative thereto;

c. a rigid, elongated upright extending upwardly from one end of saidmember and attaching means for securing the lower end of said upright toone end of said member;

d. a rigid, elongated, lower leg suport inclined downwardly from theupper end of said upright to the other end of said member for supportingthereon the lower portion of the bent leg of said person with the kneeover the juncture between the upper ends of said upright and said lowerleg support when said person is lying flat on said operating table withthe rear side of the thigh against said upright and when said horizontalmember is supported on said table;

upper connecting means and lower connecting means respectively securingtogether the upper ends of said upright and lower leg support, andsecuring the lower end of said leg support to said other end of saidmember for holding said lower leg support and said upright at an angleof approximately 45 relative to each other;

f. said securing means including a pair of horizontally spaced,horizontally elongated base elements extending transversely of saidmember below opposite end portions of the latter, secured thereto, andtable engaging devices on the ends of said base elements for releasablyholding said base elements stationary on said table;

g. said member being at one of the ends of said base elements forpositioning said member, said upright and said lower leg supporthaving'one side of said h. vertical pivot means connecting said baseelements to said elongated member for swinging said base members topositions extending to either side of said elongated member at one sideor the other of such table according to which leg is being operatedupon.

A device for supporting the leg of a person during surgery thereon,comprising:

a rigid, horizontally elongated member adapted to be supportedhorizontally on an operating table or the like;

b. securing means for releasably securing said memher horizontally onsaid table thereto;

a rigid, elongated upright extending upwardly from one end of saidmember and attaching means for securing the lower end of said upright toone end of said member;

stationary relative d. a rigid, elongated, lower leg support inclineddownwardly from the upper end of said upright to the other end of saidmember for supporting thereon the lower portion of the bent leg of saidperson with the knee over the juncture between the upper ends of saidupright and said lower leg support when said person is lying flat onsaid operating table with the rear side of the thigh against saidupright and when said horizontal member is supported on said table;

. upper connecting means and lower connecting means respectivelysecuring together the upper ends of said upright and lower leg support,and securing the lower end of said leg support to said other end of saidmember for holding said lower leg support and said upright at an angleof approximately 45 relative to each other;

said upper connecting means comprising a hinge pivotally connecting saidlower leg support with said upright for swinging said lower leg supportupwardly about said hinge to an elevated generally horizontallyextending position spaced above said member;

. said lower connecting means including a pin for releasably connectingsaid lower end of said lower leg support with said other end of saidhorizontally elongated member, said pin being movable from a releasingposition to a connecting position; and

. means for supporting said lower leg support in said elevated position;

. said last mentioned means comprising a rigid post pivotally connectedat one of its ends to said lower leg support adjacent to said lower endof the latter for swinging of said post downwardly to a verticallyextending position extending between said lower end of said leg supportand the other end of said member when said pin is moved to saidreleasing position releasing said lower leg support and the latter ismoved to said elevated position; and

. means on the end of said post opposite to its pivotal connection withsaid lower leg support engageable by said pin upon movement of said pinfrom said said lower attaching means comprising a hinge whereby saidmember is pivotally connected at its said one end and its said other endwith the lower end of said upright and with the lower end of said lowerleg support respectively; and

m. a rigid brace pivotally connected at one of its ends 3. horizontallyon a horizontal gery on the knee of such leg,

with said post at a point intermediate its ends for swinging to aposition extending between said point and a second point intermediatethe ends of said member when said lower leg support is in said elevatedposition supported by said post; and

means on said member for securing said brace to said member at saidsecond point for supporting said upright, post, and leg support rigidwhen the lower leg of said person is supported generally horizontally onsaid leg support.

A device for supporting the leg of a person lying operating table duringsurcomprising:

a rigid, horizontally elongated base member adapted to be supportedhorizontally on one end of said table, said member being of a width forsupporting only one leg thereon with the other leg horizontally on suchtable alongside said member in side-by-side relation thereto;

b. a rigid, elongated upright extending upwardly from said first, secondand third a first hinge means pivotally connecting the upper ends ofsaid upright and lower leg support together, and a second hinge meanspivotally connecting the lower end of said upright and said one end saidmember together, and a third hinge means connecting the lower end ofsaid lower leg support to said other end of said member;

hinge means connecting said base member for supporting said uprightextending generally vertically upwardly with the knee joint at and overthe juncture between said upright and said lower leg support;

said horizontal base member including means for supporting said secondand third hinge means for horizontal movement to different positionsapart horizontally and means for releasably securing them in each ofsaid different positions, and said upright including means forsupporting said first and said second hinge means for vertical movementto different distances apart and means for releasably securing them ineach of said last mentioned different positions, whereby the height ofsaid juncture between said upright and said lower leg support may bevaried to support legs of different lengths at their knee joints, andwhereby the angle between said upright and lower leg support at saidfirst hinge means may be varied.

1. A device for supporting the leg of a person during surgery thereon,comprising: a. a rigid, horizontally elongated member adapted to besupported horizontally on an operating table or the like, b. securingmeans for releasably securing said member horizontally on said tablestationary relative thereto; c. a rigid, elongated upright extendingupwardly from one end of said member and attaching means for securingthe lower end of said upright to one end of said member; d. a rigid,elongated, lower leg suport inclined downwardly from the upper end ofsaid upright to the other end of said member for supporting thereon thelower portion of the bent leg of said person with the knee over thejuncture between the upper ends of said upright and said lower legsupport when said person is lying flat on said operating table with therear side of the thigh against said upright and when said horizontalmember is supported on said table; e. upper connecting means and lowerconnecting means respectively securing together the upper ends of saidupright and lower leg support, and securing the lower end of said legsupport to said other end of said member for holding said lower legsupport and said upright at an angle of approximately 45* relative toeach other; f. said securing means including a pair of horizontallyspaced, horizontally elongated base elements extending transversely ofsaid member below opposite end portions of the latter, secured thereto,and table engaging devices on the ends of said base elements forreleasably holding said base elements stationary on said table; g. saidmember being at one of the ends of said base elements for positioningsaid member, said upright and said lower leg support having one side ofsaid table when said base elements are on the table extendingtransversely thereacross, and the portions of said base elementsextending from said member to the opposite ends of said base elementsbeing free for supporting the unbent other leg of the patient in aposition extending horizontally across said portions; h. vertical pivotmeans connecting said base elements to said elongated member forswinging said base members to positions extending to either side of saidelongated member at one side or the other of such table according towhich leg is being operated upon.
 2. A device for supporting the leg ofa person during surgery thereon, comprising: a. a rigid, horizontallyelongated member adapted to be supported horizontally on an operatingtable or the like; b. securing means for releasably securing said memberhorizontally on said table stationary relative thereto; c. a rigid,elongated upright extending upwardly from one end of said member andattaching means for securing the lower end of said upright to one end ofsaid member; d. a rigid, elongated, lower leg support inclineddownwardly from the upper end of said upright to the other end of saidmember for supporting thereon the lower portion of the bent leg of saidperson with the knee over the juncture between the upper ends of saidupright and said lower leg support when said person is lying flat onsaid operating table with the rear side of the thigh against saidupright and when said horizontal member is supported on said table; e.upper conneCting means and lower connecting means respectively securingtogether the upper ends of said upright and lower leg support, andsecuring the lower end of said leg support to said other end of saidmember for holding said lower leg support and said upright at an angleof approximately 45* relative to each other; f. said upper connectingmeans comprising a hinge pivotally connecting said lower leg supportwith said upright for swinging said lower leg support upwardly aboutsaid hinge to an elevated generally horizontally extending positionspaced above said member; g. said lower connecting means including a pinfor releasably connecting said lower end of said lower leg support withsaid other end of said horizontally elongated member, said pin beingmovable from a releasing position to a connecting position; and h. meansfor supporting said lower leg support in said elevated position; i. saidlast mentioned means comprising a rigid post pivotally connected at oneof its ends to said lower leg support adjacent to said lower end of thelatter for swinging of said post downwardly to a vertically extendingposition extending between said lower end of said leg support and theother end of said member when said pin is moved to said releasingposition releasing said lower leg support and the latter is moved tosaid elevated position; and j. means on the end of said post opposite toits pivotal connection with said lower leg support engageable by saidpin upon movement of said pin from said releasing position to saidconnecting position for connecting the lower end of said post with saidother end of said member; k. said lower connecting means comprising ahinge having parts respectively carried by said lower end of said lowerleg support and by said other end of said member, said parts beingconnected by said pin; l. said lower attaching means comprising a hingewhereby said member is pivotally connected at its said one end and itssaid other end with the lower end of said upright and with the lower endof said lower leg support respectively; and m. a rigid brace pivotallyconnected at one of its ends with said post at a point intermediate itsends for swinging to a position extending between said point and asecond point intermediate the ends of said member when said lower legsupport is in said elevated position supported by said post; and n.means on said member for securing said brace to said member at saidsecond point for supporting said upright, post, and leg support rigidwhen the lower leg of said person is supported generally horizontally onsaid leg support.
 3. A device for supporting the leg of a person lyinghorizontally on a horizontal operating table during surgery on the kneeof such leg, comprising: a. a rigid, horizontally elongated base memberadapted to be supported horizontally on one end of said table, saidmember being of a width for supporting only one leg thereon with theother leg horizontally on such table alongside said member inside-by-side relation thereto; b. a rigid, elongated upright extendingupwardly from one end of said member; c. a rigid, elongated, lower legsupport inclined downwardly from the upper end of said upright to theother end of said member for supporting thereon the lower portion of thebent leg of said person with the knee over the juncture between theupper ends of said upright and said lower leg support when said personis lying flat on said operating table with the rear side of the thighagainst said upright and when said horizontal member is supported onsaid table; d. a first hinge means pivotally connecting the upper endsof said upright and lower leg support together, and a second hinge meanspivotally connecting the lower end of said upright and said one end saidmember together, and a third hinge means connecting the lower end ofsaid lower leg support to said other end of said member; e. said first,second and third hinge means connecting sAid base member for supportingsaid upright extending generally vertically upwardly with the knee jointat and over the juncture between said upright and said lower legsupport; f. said horizontal base member including means for supportingsaid second and third hinge means for horizontal movement to differentpositions apart horizontally and means for releasably securing them ineach of said different positions, and said upright including means forsupporting said first and said second hinge means for vertical movementto different distances apart and means for releasably securing them ineach of said last mentioned different positions, whereby the height ofsaid juncture between said upright and said lower leg support may bevaried to support legs of different lengths at their knee joints, andwhereby the angle between said upright and lower leg support at saidfirst hinge means may be varied.